Maternal Acupuncture
How Acupuncture Can Help
An acupuncturist treats the person rather than the condition, and provides a completely bespoke, evidence-based holistic therapy which can help at every milestone of the maternal journey; from enhancing your natural ability to conceive, working with an assisted fertility process, managing pregnancy symptoms, reducing stress, aiding in birth preparation, and even helping you recover after giving birth.
By targeting specific pathways and systems in the body, it regulates the nervous system and balances hormones. This gentle approach provides a drug-free way to address both physical and mental well-being throughout your pregnancy journey.
What happens in an acupuncture treatment?
Acupuncture uses hair-thin, sterile needles placed gently into specific points in the body. You might feel a tiny tap, then a mild, dull tingle or warmth. Most people find it deeply relaxing, and many even fall asleep!
During your first treatment the practitioner will take a full medical history, check your pulses, and use other forms of diagnosis to create a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs.
See below for more information on how acupuncture can help before, during and after pregnancy.
Pre-conception & natural conception
Before pregnancy, treatments focus on optimising the reproductive environment for both partners and nourishing the body’s ability to create life.
- Hormone regulation: acupuncture can help regulate the release of key reproductive hormones, balance menstrual cycles and enhance the body’s ovulation and implantation process.
- Stress: acupuncture balances the nervous system to significantly lower stress levels during
the pre-conception window.
Assisted conception (IVF & ICSI support)
Acupuncture is heavily integrated into assisted-reproductive medicine in the UK.
- Ovarian stimulation support: following a 3-to-6-month pre-treatment plan can improve the response to ovarian stimulation drugs and support follicle development.
- Embryo transfer enhancement: targeted sessions immediately before and after embryo transfer help to relax the uterus, improve blood flow and relieve anxiety.
- Male fertility: it can also be used to help improve sperm parameters prior to treatments like ICSI.
Pregnancy support
Once pregnant, the focus shifts to safe, drug-free symptom management.
- Bespoke treatments tailored to the trimester / week: acupuncture can safely counter common issues which might occur in pregnancy, such as morning sickness, digestive issues, muscular skeletal pain, stress and insomnia.
Preparing for birth
As your delivery date approaches, acupuncture can help you prepare, and avoid unnecessary medical interventions.
- Cervical ripening: acupuncture encourages the natural release of prostaglandins to soften and ripen the cervix.
- Contraction stimulation: It also helps trigger oxytocin production to encourage labour to progress naturally, reducing the statistical likelihood of requiring medical induction.
- Breech presentations: acupuncture and moxibustion (a heat therapy)
Post-partum recovery
Acupuncture can help restore depleted energy reserves in the ‘fourth trimester’.
- Promotes physical healing: it can help alleviate musculoskeletal pain, and enhance tissue and scar healing.
- Breastfeeding support: It also balances the nervous system to help stimulate prolactin and oxytocin, helping to boost milk supply and unblock clogged milk ducts.
- Mental well-being: acupuncture treatments can help alleviate exhaustion and support
emotional balance in the postpartum period.
For more information on the latest research, visit https://acupuncture.org.uk/about-acupuncture/acupuncture-research/evidence-a-z/
How Acupuncture Can Help
Who may benefit most are those experiencing:
Research and clinical experience show that acupuncture can provide relief for many common pregnancy-related symptoms, including:
- Morning sickness, hyperemesis, digestive discomfort
- Pelvic Girdle Pain, lower back pain, sciatica
- Anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances
- Breech presentation (often combined with moxibustion)
- Pre-birth labour preparation
- post-partum recovery and breast-feeding
For more information visit The British Acupuncture Council website: acupuncture.org.uk
Maternal Osteopathic Care
Supporting you – from Preparation to Parenthood
About Us
Maternal Osteopathic Care is part of Tunbridge Wells Osteopathic Practice, offering experienced and evidence-informed, compassionate care in a safe and welcoming environment.
Get in touch
5 Upper Grosvenor Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
TN1 2DU
United Kingdom
+ 44 (0)1892 535858